A Novel Approach to Grass–Legume Management

• DOI: 10.2135/cropsci2010.10.0598
• Publication Date: 2011-06-23T14:43:37Z
• Authors: Juan K. Q. Solomon; Bisoondat Macoon; David J. Lang; Jane A. Parish; Rhonda C. Vann
• Keywords: Monoculture; Trifolium repens; Lolium multiflorum; Red Clover

ABSTRACT Spatially separated monoculture grasses and legumes within the same paddock (SS) may help alleviate constraints to widespread adoption of in pastures. A grazing study conducted during winter–spring seasons 2008 (steers, initial body weight [BW] = 236 ± 24 kg) 2009 (heifers, BW 245 40 at Raymond, MS, evaluated four forage systems (FS) two stocking rates (SR; 3 or 6 animals ha −1 ). Using ‘Marshall’ annual ryegrass ( Lolium multiflorum Lam.) ‘Durana’ white clover Trifolium repens L.), FS treatments were SS, grass (MG), legume (ML), a binary mixture (MIX). Herbage mass was similar among high SR (1.9 Mg ), but herbage low greater MG, MIX, component SS than ML (2.9 vs. 2.0 Among plots, did not affect on accumulation plots (32 vs.13 kg d there no difference these species. Low had (27 ) (21 Average daily gain (1.12 (0.97 kg), neither different from MG (1.08 MIX (1.00 (1.09 0.99 kg). These results suggest that system be an option enhance